Toy boat



March 4, 19-41. w CLARKE I 2,233,693

TOY BOAT Filed March 20, 1939 v I 5' Fzgl. 2e m Patented Mar.'4, 1941 PATENT QFFIQE TOY BOAT Walter F. Clarke, Omaha, Nebr.

Application March 20, 1939, Serial No. 262,946

4 Claims.

This invention relates towamusement devices and more particularly to toys and has for an object to provide a toy boat and means for towing the same for use by children from a place of safety such as a protected dock and without the hazard of a childs shoes becoming wet during boat towing operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an amusement device for the purpose above described, the parts of which are so constructed and arranged that during towing operations sounds are generated in simulation of a sound-made by an actual outboard motor boat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy boat having sound producing means which in appearance simulates an outboard motor.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be understood from the-followa ing detailed description thereof.

In the drawing:

Figural is-a longitudinal vertical section of the toy boat of the present invention, the view being taken substantially on line I--| of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a towing device-for the boat shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of said towing device cooperatively coupled to. said boat.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description, In indicates generally a body of water such as a park lake or the like: and l I a dock or similar object extending outwardly from the shore thereof upon. which a child may conveniently stand for operating the boat in a segment of a circle as late-r described or may walk along longitudinally thereof for operating the boat of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 3, the towing device preferably includes a jointed and extensible pole generally indicated at I2 which preferably includes three sections l3, l4 and [5. The lower end portion of section. I4 is received within the ferrule l6 of section l3 while the lower end portion of section I5 is received within the ferrule l6 for providing an extensible pole having a length as may be desired and selected and which may be folded compactly for storage or transportation. The section I5 is provided with a comparatively narrow tip end I! to which is secured an elongated flexible strand l8 which may be of any suitable length. The free end of the strand I8 is preferably provided with a snap hook H! which is adapted to engage with a screw eye or a like detent or other suitable keeper carried by the boat 2! adjacent the bow thereof and it will be understood that, if desired, the free end of the strand I8 may be tied to the keeper 20 by means of a bow knot in lieu of employing the snap hook [9 for coupling the towing device shown in Figure 3 operatively to the boat 2f.

Thedeck of the boat 2! is provided with a recess'22 for simulating the cock pit of an' outboard speed or racing boat and the bottom thereof is preferably provided with an elongated channel 23 which extends longitudinally and amidship of the boat, said channel being provided with a deflector portion 24', as best shown in Figure 2, for purposeslater described.

A well 25 is preferably provided in the bottom of the boat which isin communication with the channel 23.

A plurality of blades 26 are disposed at the bottom of the boat and preferably said blades are disposed within the well 25" for protecting the blades.

Theblades 26 are radially disposed with respectto a shaft 21, the latter being carried by the boat adjacent the stern thereof and preferably extending through a sleeve-bearing 28 as showninFigure 1. I

The shaft 21 has an end which extends above the deck of the boat 2|, said end being secured by any suitable means to a disk 29 and preferably said disk is so shaped or painted that it simulates an outboard motor. The perimetrical edge of the disk 29 is milled or otherwise provided with serrations or spaced apart teeth 30.

An arm 3| is carried by the boat and secured thereto by any suitable means such as the screw 32. The arm 3| provides a support for a flat spring 33, the latter being pivotally attached as at 34 to the member 3|, the normal or raised position of the spring 33 being indicated by means of dotted lines at 33' and as thus described it will be understood that the operator may selectively position the free end of the spring 33 in engagement with the edge of the disk 29 or the teeth thereof, as shown by the full lines in Figure 2, for generating sound as later described or may permit the spring to remain in said normal position at times when sound is not desired.

In operation and assuming that the towing device is in the hands of a child and connected to the boat 2|, as shown in Figure 4, and said boat is resting upon water, the child may move the pole 12 in approximate parallelism with the surface of the water defining a segment of a iii circle therewith for towing the boat 2|, thereby causing the boat to move upon the water III, a portion of said water passing through the channel 23 and striking the deflector 24, the-latter directing said water toward one side of the well 25 for propelling the blades 25 and shaft 21 and revolving the disk 29.

During revolving movements of the disk the fiat spring 34 at times when it is engaged with the edge of the disk strikes against the teeth 30 and successively generates a sound in simulation of the sound generated by an outboard motor boat during racing operations thereof and as thus described it will be noted that at times when the pole I2 is moved rapidly the sounds generated are thereby proportionally increased in frequency in simulation of a speeding up of an outboard racing craft.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a toy boat constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish it to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for the purpose described comprising a toy boat provided with a channel disposed longitudinally in the bottom thereof, a shaft associated with the stern of said boat, propeller blades carried axially of and at oneend of said shaft, said propeller being disposed in said chan- .nel, a deflector in said channel for directing water toward one side of said propeller for rotating said shaft, and a sound generator carried by and at the stern of said boat operative by said shaft at times when said water rotates said shaft. 2. An amusement device comprising a toy boat provided with a channel in the bottom thereof, a revoluble shaft associated with the stern of said boat, a plurality of blades radially secured to one end of said shaft and disposed in said channel for rotating the shaft at times when water moves through said channel, a circular disk for simulating an outboard motor secured to the other end of said shaft, said disk being disposed above the deck of said boat, the periphery of said disk being milled, a flat spring having an end connected to said boat and a free end, said free end being abutted against said milled periphery for generating sound during revoluble movement of said disk.

3. An amusement device comprising a toy boat adapted to float upon water, a revoluble shaft associated with the stern of said boat, a plurality of propeller blades secured to one end of said shaft adjacent the bottom of said boat, said blades being adapted to engage said water, a disk having a serrated periphery secured to the other end of said shaft, a deflector carried by the bottom of said boat for diverting said Water toward and against one side of said propeller' for rotating'the latter and said disk at times when said waterv impinges-against said propeller,

a flat spring having an end connected to said boat and a free end, said free end being abutted against the periphery of said disk for generating sound at times when said propeller is rotated by said water.

4. An amusement device comprising a toy boat provided with a channel in the bottom thereof, a revoluble shaft associated with the stern of said boat, a plurality of blades radially secured to one end of said shaft and disposed in said channel for rotating the shaft at times when water moves through said channel, a circular disk for simulating an outboard motor secured to the other end of said shaft, said disk being disposed above the deck of said boat, the periphery of said disk being milled, and a flat spring 4 

